An Indian-origin man was shot dead in a targeted attack in Canada’s Burnaby Thursday, in what authorities described as the latest incident linked to British Columbia province’s protracted gang violence.
The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT), which has taken over the probe from the Burnaby Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), identified the victim as Dilraj Singh Gill, 28, a Vancouver resident. Investigators believe the shooting was not random and is connected to the province’s ongoing gang conflict.
The shooting occurred shortly before 5.30 pm near the 3700 block of Canada Way, close to Boundary Road, during the evening rush hour. Burnaby RCMP officers responded to multiple reports of gunfire and found Gill suffering from critical gunshot wounds at what is believed to be a gas station parking lot. Despite immediate life-saving efforts by first responders, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Around the same time, a vehicle was reported on fire a few blocks away near Royal Oak Avenue and Deer Lake Park. The police are examining whether the burning vehicle is connected to the shooting and may have been used as a getaway car.
The police and court records show that Gill had a prior history involving drug-related offences. In late 2022, the Abbotsford Police launched a major narcotics investigation targeting him. Investigators have linked him to the former Kang or Brothers in Blood Organization faction, which was previously aligned against rival groups in British Columbia’s long-running gang conflict.
IHIT Sergeant Freda Fong said, “Homicide investigators are working closely with Burnaby RCMP, the Lower Mainland District Integrated Forensic Identification Service and the BC Coroners Service to gather evidence.”
Authorities have appealed to the public for witnesses, dashcam footage or any information that could assist the investigation, underlining that the killing appears to have been targeted.
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No arrests have been announced so far, and the investigation remains ongoing.
The murder adds to a series of gang-related homicides in the region involving individuals of South Asian origin. British Columbia has witnessed persistent violence linked to rival factions and shifting alliances.
